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Chiefs coach Steve Komphela was pleased with Leonardo Castro's
debut goal and expects him to forge a deadly combination with Gustavo
Paez.
With former Bafana Bafana striker Bernard Parker also in the mix and the young Ryan Moon among the goals of late, the Amakhosi striking department is looking in good shape for a title challenge, with Chiefs currently five points behind pace-setters Mamelodi Sundowns with 12 matches to play.
Castro, who was signed from Sundowns just before Christmas, hit the ground running when he came off the bench on Sunday for his first appearance in Chiefs colours and netted the winner in a 2-1 victory over Baroka FC.
"He did well, he did well," Komphela said of the Colombian.
"And the beautiful thing about strikers, if they score the confidence goes higher. We are happy for them, let them score."
The Amakhosi mentor believes both Castro and new signing Siphelele Ntshangase will settle in quickly at the club after arriving in the January transfer window (the Glamour Boys' other new arrival, Kabelo Mahlasela has cruelly had his debut delayed for several months after picking up a knee injury in training).
"With Castro, and Ntshangase as well, he will get to the level where you feel they are our fabric, they are our cloth," Komphela said.
"As it is now, they are still finding their way as to who we are. It doesn't come easy and it's worse when you get players in-season, integration is very difficult. But it looks like it's swifter now and it is good that results are forthcoming."
Speaking on Paez, who has not finding the net of late, Komphela is positive that the Uruguayan will be a key part of the team, especially in terms of a potential partnership with Castro.
"[Paez is] happy that his teammates are scoring because there is one ball he drew back, if Moon wasn't in the right place he would not have scored that one.
"Paez does a lot of work. Now that he has found Castro, there is also an issue of language, can they speak Spanish together? Can they hit it off? They are both South American, we should take advantage of that chemistry and camaraderie.
"I'm sure he will be okay. We just don't have to put him under too much pressure. The beauty of it is the rest of the others are scoring."
